N53893

On August 30, 2005, at 1135 Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 7ECA airplane, N53893, was substantially damaged when it impacted a runway sign during an aborted landing on runway 31R at the Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California. The pilot then diverted and terminated the flight at San Jose International Airport, San Jose, California. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Amelia Reid Aviation operated the airplane under the auspices of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The local flight departed Reid-Hillview Airport at 1100. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed.

According to a written statement provided by the pilot, he was cleared to land on runway 31R with the wind reported as variable at 5 knots. The pilot conducted the approach at an idle power setting with some slip that he described as stable. The airplane touched down near the intersection of taxiway B when he experienced a "sudden and strong side drift to the right." The pilot applied full power to abort the landing and was correcting back to the runway centerline when the airplane fuselage contacted a runway sign near taxiway D.

During climb out, the pilot noted that he had limited control with the elevator and ailerons. He was able to maintain controlled flight, but was limited in pitch and roll control. Due to his necessity to maintain full left aileron and nearly full forward elevator control to maintain straight-and-level flight, the pilot elected to divert to San Jose International Airport to utilize the larger runway for landing.

The pilot conducted a fly-by of the San Jose International Airport and determined he had sufficient control to land on the runway. The flight terminated uneventfully on runway 30R.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the San Jose International Airport, the airplane sustained impact damage to the lower fuselage, which broke the aileron pushrod, damaged the skin, and fractured a structural cross member. The pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane or engine prior to impacting the runway sign.

The pilot reported accumulating a total of 1,100 hours of flight time, of which 60 hours were accumulated in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

At 1047, the weather observation facility at Reid-Hillview reported the wind as variable at 5 knots. At 1147, the weather observation facility reported the wind from 320 degrees at 10 knots.